


Mother's Day Memories

by MissCrazyWriter321



Category: Haven (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Blink-and-you'll-miss-it Nathan/Jennifer, F/M, Fluff, Mother's Day, family fic, happy endings, lots of fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-11
Updated: 2020-05-11
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:28:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24122140
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissCrazyWriter321/pseuds/MissCrazyWriter321
Summary: He pauses, and she knows he’s considering her offer. Finally, he shrugs. “I just… Don’t have a lot of good memories of Mother’s Day. Figured you didn’t either, and now that the girls are old enough that we’re not running on empty… I wanted to change that.”
Relationships: Duke Crocker/Audrey Parker, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 16





	Mother's Day Memories

**Author's Note:**

> I'm cutting it close on actually posting this on Mother's Day, but here it is: The first Haven fic I've posted on AO3. I've posted a few short things on Tumblr, but this feels like my "first fic," in ways. I hope you guys enjoy this rare example of me writing fluff. 
> 
> This was written for a prompt from ambiguousgelpens on Tumblr, from the 100 ways to say "I love you' list: "I made your favorite."

She wakes to familiar giggles, muffled enough that she knows they’re  _ trying  _ to be quiet, and grins. A quick glance tells her that they aren’t in her room yet, so she tugs the covers over her head, presses her lips together, and waits. 

“Shhhh!” Ella huffs, and Audrey can almost picture her stern glare. “Daddy said t’be quiet.”

“I  _ am  _ quiet,” Mari says, loud enough that the neighbors probably hear it. “You shhh.”

“Shhh!”

“You shhh!”

Just when Audrey’s about to give up her facade and interfere, the door creaks open, and the soft pitter-patter of footsteps fills the air. 

“Mommy? Are you awake?” Mari asks, and that is  _ probably  _ supposed to be a whisper. She definitely is her father’s daughter, Audrey muses, lips twitching. It’s tempting to respond immediately, but she wants to give this a little more time. 

_ “Mommy!”  _ Ella is barely a year old, and is definitely still working on the whole sneaking thing. “Wake up!”

“Shhh! Daddy said,  _ let her sleep.  _ She’s  _ tired. _ ” 

Just three years old, and already trying to call the shots. Duke insists that she takes after Audrey more, and he might be right, but that mischievous streak definitely comes from his side of the family. 

The bed dips, twice, and Audrey braces herself. Draws in a deep breath. 

“Mommy?” Ella asks, right by her ear, and Audrey strikes. 

She flings the covers off her head, launching a full-scale tickle attack that leaves Ella and Mari giggling hysterically. Ella surrenders almost immediately, but Mari makes a definite attempt to fight back, poking frantically at Audrey’s side. 

Finally, the three collapse back against the mattress, breathless and giddy. 

Oh, there’s something wonderful about waking up this way. She cannot shake her memories of days when the word  _ family  _ was a dagger, and left nothing but an empty ache in her stomach. Now, she’s a wife. A mother. A godmother, for crying out loud. 

She’s  _ loved.  _ And she wouldn’t trade it for anything. 

Speaking of loved… 

“Now, I believe I said something about letting Mommy sleep.” Duke strolls into the room with his usual flare, grin belying his protests. He glances back and forth between the girls, feigning sternness. “Didn’t I?”

They manage a half-second of sheepishness before they dissolve into laughter, pushing each other while insisting  _ “She did it!”  _

Duke meets her eyes above their heads, unbearably soft. She smiles back, shaking her head at the girls’ antics, letting the moment stretch out between them.

Finally, Duke clears his throat, drawing Mari and Ella’s attention back to him. “Okay, you two head downstairs and make sure everything’s ready for breakfast. We’ll be right behind you.”

They rush out the door, thrilled at the possibility of getting to help. Audrey briefly wonders how long it’ll take them to realize that they have no idea what they’re looking for, before focusing in on Duke. Stolen moments of quiet together are rare, these days, and while she doesn’t regret a second of it, she’s still grateful for this, here. 

He settles in beside her, wrapping an arm around her, and tugs her into his chest. “So,” he starts, in his usual fashion: beginning in the middle, as if he were already halfway through a story. “I have our whole day planned. First, breakfast. I made your favorite: waffles, with way too much whipped cream on them. Next, a day on the town with the girls, stopping for lunch at the Gull… And then…” He presses a kiss to the top of her hair. “We drop Ella and Mari off with Nate and Jen, and spend the evening sipping champagne on the Rouge. How does that sound?” 

She cannot help but smile at his enthusiasm. “Sounds like you’ve put a lot of effort into this,” she replies, and it’s not quite a question, but it’s more than a statement. After all, he’s never done anything like this before.

“I have,” he agrees, absently running a hand up and down her arm. “It’s just…” He gives a heavy sigh that sobers her instantly. Whatever this is, it’s important. “Growing up, things with my mom were…” He grimaces, trailing off, and she takes his hand, squeezing gently. Even now, his mother is one topic they rarely breach. There’s too much pain, too much history, and he usually wants to keep it all buried. 

“You don’t have to tell me.” She doesn’t need an explanation.

He pauses, and she knows he’s considering her offer. Finally, he shrugs. “I just… Don’t have a lot of good memories of Mother’s Day. Figured you didn’t either, and now that the girls are old enough that we’re not running on empty… I wanted to change that.” 

She pulls back enough to cup his cheeks between her palms, forcing him to meet her eyes. “I love you,” she says simply, and he leans in, pressing his lips to hers.

“Love you,” he mumbles into the kiss, and she allows herself to enjoy the moment for just a bit longer, before pulling back regretfully. They don’t have long before the girls come looking for them, and she wants to get this out first. 

“I think your plan sounds  _ perfect, _ ” she assures him, running a hand through his hair. “But…”

“But?” His brows furrow, concern creeping in, and she nods.

“But…. We’re going to have to skip the champagne.” 

It takes a few moments for her words to register. She can almost see the gears turning in his mind as he processes, trying to make sense of what she’s saying. Then, his gaze drops to her belly, sheer delighted disbelief on his face. “You’re…?”

She nods, tugging him into another kiss before he can finish the question. Instantly, one of his hands finds its way into her hair, the other settling protectively on her belly. 

_ “Ewww!”  _

As the girls run away, somewhere between laughing and shrieking, Audrey pulls back, shaking her head. “You know this is just going to get more chaotic, right?”

He shrugs, hopping off the bed and pulling her to her feet. “Pretty sure we can handle it.”

Yeah, she muses, fingers interlacing with his. They really can. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading, and I hope you enjoyed!! 
> 
> Fun fact: I absolutely planned to have to prompt sentence in this fic, but I had it all written out and about to post when I realized that I hadn't included it. I had to go back and edit it at the last minute, even though I clearly set up the whole fic to include that line.


End file.
